Destiny's Song
by Praetor
Summary: Music is a language universal to all, as Sora was once taught. With it, you can climb mountains, dive underground, soar into the sky, and reach the soul. So what happens when two people of this nature meet? Why, destiny my dears!
1. Chapter 1

Destiny's Song

Chapter One- Prologue

_Push, hammer. Push, hammer. Push, hammer._

_Soft sounds emanated in the crisp autumn air. Leaves of all different colors decorated the ground and grass, long fallen from their respective trees. Those trees grew along a road dotted with houses on both sides. In this particular community, such places and roads were common. The houses themselves varied in size and structure, yet they all held a peaceful air about them on this particular autumn night. On every lawn, green and yellow grass could be seen, dying a bit from the summer that had ended prior._

_Push, hammer. Push, hammer. Push, hammer._

_From an open window, a small boy could be seen sitting at a piano. The boy was small, looking to be about four, and had ruffled brown hair. Small tufts and turrets of this unusual hair could be seen poking about randomly. Also unusual, perhaps, was the color of his eyes: they were blue. However, this blue was one of the most beautiful blues one could ever hope to be born with. In shadow, they looked like the deepest pools of an ocean, in the light, like the sparkling waters on a Caribbean Sea. Right now those eyes were firmly concentrated on the piano keys in front of them. They gazed at the keys, longing, desperately; to find the note they so sought after._

_Push, hammer. Push, hammer. Push, hammer._

_The mechanics of the piano worked flawlessly under the small hands of the boy, and he continued to grow frustrated as he moved randomly about the keys. Then:_

_Push, hammer.  
_

…

_Push, hammer.  
_

…

_Push, hammer, push, hammer, pushhammer, pushhammer. _

_He had found the key, and he happily pressed it, again and again. What was so special, a passerby may wonder, of this particular sound?_

_To Sora, however, this simple tone was everything. He had no way in which to express what it meant to him. However, his little mind agreed: this note was something special.  
_

_Later on, Sora's mother would walk into the room to find the boy slumped over the piano, sleeping soundlessly, a little finger still placed on that same key._

Move Forward 13 Years Sora's Room, September 7th, 8:12 A.M.

_Creak_

A door opened, creaking with such an intense creak that all nearby would think it was the mother of all creaks.

Honestly.

A woman of medium stature, a pretty face, and vibrant blue eyes gave a silent glare to the traitorous door, yet her prey remained unaware. She slowly and deliberately started across the floor of the large, cluttered bedroom. On the fairly littered ground you could see various magazines and books, action figures, cards, movies, games, paper of all different sizes and colors, pencils, pens, markers, a poster with a strange blue ball and a small bust of a dead musician, scowling up to the ceiling from his little statuette back.

The woman watched where she walked and was close to a bed located against the far wall of the room. However, a pace or two away from the bed, a tanned foot met the statuette's glaring face.

"Wha-AHHHHHHHH!"

Her loud shriek echoed throughout the rest of the house, through an open window, and proceeded to set off any offended car alarms in the immediate vicinity.

Arms outstretched, she tumbled over the still form on the bed and conked her head on a bed post. Meanwhile, the marble head flew off in the opposite direction and landed in an open closet with a soft thump.

"Ugnh…marshmallow…pudding…"

Amazed, the woman raised herself off the bed, while rubbing her head, and with the other hand, reached down to the comforter. She drew back the blanket a little ways from where the pillow was only to be confronted by a pair of tan feet.

Lifting her eyebrows and going to the other side of the bed she lifted the blanket a little ways again to reveal a head of full, brown, spiky hair, and a handsome face. Drooling a little, more words, some coherent, some not, came from the mouth of the boy:

"N...no…my pizza…mrrh…"

Grinning a little, the woman put her mouth next to the boy's ear and whispered,

"But I thought it was _my _pizza, Sora?"

"Noooo…_my_ pizza…" he mumbled.

"Well then I hope you won't mind if I just…t**ake a bite!**"

"NOOOOOOO!"

Sora's whole body immediately shot up from the bed, and he clutched his blankets close to himself, looking about wildly.

Satisfied, she stood back with her hands on her hips, grin evident on her face. Sora finally calmed down and focused upon the intruding figure in the dim room. He gave a little glare and said, "Mom!"

"Oh, but _Sora_," she emphasized the word Sora with a little pinch of his cheek and a mock-baby voice, "I do _so_ enjoy pizza. And besides, you're missing a beautiful day!"

She raised the blinds that hung above Sora's bed and blazing sunlight came in. She proceeded to raise the rest, while Sora himself still sat reminiscing about his lost pizza.

"Now!" said Sora's mother, with a brisk clap of her hands and a bounce, "I've made you a huge breakfast… I wouldn't want you to go hungry on your **big day**, after all!"

Sora, slightly confused and eyes half-shut, stared at his mother blankly. Then, a slow, dawning comprehension lit up his eyes and face.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

He jumped out of bed; he snatched a piece of paper from his desk and sprinted to his bathroom.

From behind the closed door he could hear Sora's mother singing a little tune while walking around his room, probably making his bed. He gave a cry of desperation when he looked at the bathroom clock, 8:22, and yelled to his mother, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier!"

"I did, honey! You shouted back to me that you were getting up and everything."

Groaning, Sora jumped into the shower, accidentally scalding himself. After jumping back out of the shower with a yelp, he retorted before climbing back in,

"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you: whatever I say in the morning is almost always a lie to make you go away!"

"Aw, Sora dear, you're almost making me feel bad," she said with a tone of mock-sadness/sympathy, "oh, by the way, 8:23!"

Sora yelped and jumped out of the shower, grabbing a nearby towel and quickly drying himself off. He sped back into his room and ran to his dresser. His mother, meanwhile, had magically started a telephone conversation and was chatting away animatedly to a friend of hers. Sora heard,

"…yes, he's going to be so late! Honestly, you'd think he'd have more responsibil-."

"MOM!"

She merely beamed and continued talking.

Emitting a small sigh, Sora, quickly filed through his dresser, throwing clothes around haphazardly. He found something reasonable and chucked it on. Sprinting, he made his way back to the bathroom, to brush his teeth.

From that room, he could hear phrases such as:

"…yes, **_only day_**…"

"…never occurs to him…"

"…thought he was eating a pizza! (giggle)"

Growling, Sora stormed out of the bathroom and his room, slid down the railing of the staircase and walked into the kitchen.

True to her word, Sora's mother had put out what looked more like a feast then a breakfast. Sora, however, wasn't feeling so hungry. He grabbed a piece of toast and glass of juice, and proceeded, with a slower walk, into the next room. Sora's favorite room, to be realistic.

Along the left wall was a large window, which almost took up the wall and its entirety. It was the month of autumn, and the trees had just started to lose their leaves.

Directly across from the entrance were two bookcases, filled up with various books. One of the best things about this room was that it always let light in, from the window facing the street, and the window in the ceiling. Somehow, the room never seemed to change temperature and kept a constant comfortable level. Neither Sora nor his mother could explain it, but there was something special about this room. And perhaps the most special thing resided in the middle.

A beautiful grand piano was in the middle of the room. Its color, almost a hazel, though not quite, was beaming in the early morning light. Sora looked at it with a fond smile and ran his hand along the perfect finish, around the piano, and finally, to the keys. He whispered, with a pluck of a certain key, and a smile,

"Today's the day."

**End Prologue! I hope I can get this story off the ground…I have a feeling I can. I have a good feeling about it, that is. Please leave any reviews…I know this chapter was pretty sucky but I do have plans for it in the immediate future.**

**Things to look for next chapter: THE BIG DAY, and all that it holds. :D  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Destiny's Song

Author's Note: This chapter holds some crucial bits of information! Enjoy it (it's longer than the first chapter)! Please, any reviews at ALL would be greatly appreciated: I love hearing from you guys!

Chapter Two- The "big" Day  


"…and the time is 4:07. You may begin!"

A whirl of fingers.

The boy was not _too_ tall, and not _too_ short. His hair fell about his head crazily, all jutting out in great blonde angles. His eyes concentrated solely on the keys in front of him, blazing with an intensity that the adjudicator could clearly see.

_Very interesting_. She nodded and smiled.

The song ended with a tumultuous run, blazing incredibly fast down the keys and landing on a final, low note.

And that was all.

Roxas let his hands fall off the keys, as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. That was all that was left.

He glanced over at the adjudicator to see her writing on her clipboard, face now impassive.

She finished, and put the board down slowly. She was a thin woman, petite and yet exuded an aura of otherworldliness, somehow. Her hair fell from her head in one long braid, and she had amazing green eyes. She was _extremely_ beautiful.

Eyes shining, "Thank you. You will receive notification from us in three to six weeks." Face still impassive…was there a slight twitch at the lips?

"Thank you."

With that, Roxas proceeded to walk out of the room and into the large, spacious hallway. The sun was shining through the several windows in the ceiling, as well as the walls, which were windows themselves. To his right exactly seven chairs (he had counted as he slowly and painfully made his way up seat by seat), each with someone occupying a respective seat, and each as uncomfortable as the next.

His competition.

He turned on his heels, and walked slowly by each chair, giving sparing glances to their occupants.

Fear. Hope. Detachedness. Panic. Anger. A plethora of different gazes met his own.

Finally, by the seventh chair he gave his last glance.

A pair of sky blue eyes met his own, both crinkled and shining with a smile underneath.

He was a lithe boy, probably only seventeen or eighteen. He wasn't gazing at Roxas exactly, but over his shoulder out the window. The view below was magnificent, with a whole city jutting into the sky like a fold out book. The light of the setting sun cast a calm air into the hall, and highlighted the boy's tan features.

The boy had now turned his gaze on Roxas, and was waiting patiently for the blonde youth to realize that he had become the new object of his attention.

A prickly feeling spawned stunningly on the back of his neck and he whirled around…

…only to find the boy looking off to the side, whistling a pretty tune.

…

Okay…

"You're gonna fall."

Roxas turned as if in slow motion, this time his right foot landing on that pesky untied shoelace. With a yelp, he fell forward, face heading straight towards the cold floor…

…when a pair of tan hands grabbed hold of the back of his shirt.

He was seized around his midriff and hauled back to his feet. Slightly embarrassed, Roxas gave a shaky little laugh and looked at the offending shoelace, cheeks still holding that telltale tint of embarrassment.

With a grin, Sora stuck out his hand. "That was a close one, huh? Don't worry about it." A wave of that tanned hand. "I'm Sora!" The smile made Roxas glance up, Sora looking at him with that same crinkled expression he had first seen. Was he always smiling? He wondered this as he pondered the hand also in front of him.

"Oh here, let me…" Sora bent down and proceeded to tie Roxas' shoe, disregarding the mild shock he was working through at having now experienced a prickle, trip, and _almost_ painful fall, to only then be saved by some smiling stranger who was now _tying his shoe_ like he was some four year old. Was this boy insane!

With a hop Sora leapt to his feet once again, still grinning, and stuck out his hand, a second attempt. This time Roxas did take it, a small smile playing on his lips as well. 

"Roxas."

Roxas wondered, as he always had, what this new person would think of his strange name. It wasn't common that you met someone named Roxas, after all. Usually he got an "OH WHAT A PRETTY NAME!" or a weird look/step back combo, as if he were suddenly contagious- 'Roxa-whut?' and the like.

And _still_ that smile remained, though it was much more subdued than the original broad grin. Roxas was beginning to finally understand the old saying about your face and the dangers of making faces with it…this boy had obviously done something terrible: _He'd been too happy_.

"That's a mighty interesting name." He was now swaying back and forth, his hands behind his back. The same whimsical look remained on his face. "It makes me think of…the rainy-sunny days back home."

"Really." That was certainly a new one. Rainy-sunny day?

"Yup." Procuring no further thought on the matter, Sora promptly sat back down, and looked at Roxas expectantly.

Roxas himself wasn't sure about what he should do…he was done now, all that was left was to go back to the hotel…maybe watch a movie or some late night talk show host…and then fly back to his home the next day, only to wait in anticipation.

But this boy held his attention. Normally, he wasn't too friendly with strangers. But Sora…Sora was different. Though he felt something pulling him away, he took the seat next to Sora, which led Sora's face to light up once again in smile. This time Roxas returned it in full.

_That smile…_

The day was certainly turning up.

Sora's morning had certainly been hectic. After rushing out of the house with- "_I love you honey, do awesome!"_ following in his wake, he hopped on the nearest bus and traveled into the city.

Truth be told, he was nervous. Incredibly, terribly nervous. After all, who wouldn't be? He was trying out at one of the leading school's of music in the country, The School of Destiny's Hand, or just Destiny's Hand or DH. He would be graduating in the week to come, and was to be heading off to college (or so he hoped). DH, however, was not like most colleges and universities. Including the amazing scenery, they held auditions for their students late in the year, and were not very committed to academics at all. The tradition of escalating arts in all forms over all sorts of other formal programs led the school to have a reputation as slightly non-conformist. No, it was definitely not your normal college. But it was revered around the world as the leading institution of music study. _And_ it was Sora's dream.

Smiling softly, he felt his cell begin to vibrate in his pocket. Snatching it out, he saw a picture of a silver-haired boy grinning with his arm wrapped around a laughing Sora on the screen.

_Riku._

Sora's smile widened, and he opened it up.

"Hey."

"Sora! How're you feeling?"

"Riku…you have no idea. I've _never _been this nervous in my entire life."

A laugh. "Sora, once you're done, they're going to have no idea what to do with themselves. We **all** know you're child protégé…they **have** to let you in." He was laughing, but Sora could feel the reassurance in the remark.

Riku had been Sora's best friend since they were little kids. Growing up, they had been inseparable, always going on adventures and playing at the beach, not to mention getting in trouble with the locals for those reasons. (There's a reason why one of the beaches is colored completely green with distinctive orange trees…but that's a tale for a different day.) Now they were older and their lives were beginning to lead away onto different paths. Riku was the athlete, star of the soccer team, amazingly intelligent, and gorgeous to boot. He was loved by many, but he wasn't at all self-centered. He was modest, and always understanding. That was one of the best things about Riku- he was a great listener, and could always empathize with a person. Riku was just a genuine, compassionate guy, and Sora admired him for it to no end.

But likewise, Riku had admired Sora for a long time. His carefree attitude, contagious laughter, and bright eyes…yes, he _certainly_ admired him…

Sora put his head in his left hand, with his phone in the right, pouting.

"Riku, seriously. I'm not good enough. They're going to just…I don't know, laugh at me! Be like 'Oh, sorry, you're not even close…' and then kick me out or have me dragged out by security. I don't know which; it depends on how desperate I get..."

"/sigh/…Sora."

"…and then I'll be put on the street and there will be people all around staring at me wondering what's going on…"

"Sora…"

"I'll wander the streets aimlessly, never be able to return home due to the horrible, horrible shame. I'll have to live my life as a hobo, making due with what I have, spending my time around garbage can fires and eating out of garbage cans! Riku! What am I going to do? " /heavy breath/

"…are you done?"

"…"

"Okay. Listen- One, you are good enough. Remember that competition back in April? (Sora had taken first out of over hundreds of participants) You're definitely good enough. Second, you won't have shame because no matter what, you're still my best friend. I'll just have to hunt you down if you don't come back. And three…three…/muffled laughter/"

"What!"

"…You as a hobo. It's too funny. /giggle/"

"Rikuuuuu!"

"Haha, I know. Sora. Listen to me." He was more serious now. "You're going to be fine. You're the most amazing musician-person I know, and no matter what happens today, you will go on to do great things. No. Matter. What. Never forget that. And plus, I'll always be there to back you up, whenever you need me. I mean, what are best friends with amazing looks for, eh?" He was smiling, Sora could tell.

Sora smiled as well, and lifted his head to see the sky.

"Riku, I don't know what'd I'd do without you."

"Life would go on." He teased. There was a silence for a few moments. Then a breath: "Sora…" He began hesitantly.

"Yeah?" Sora asked, genuinely curious.

"…Good luck." He finished, though seconds later. He had lost his nerve.

"Thanks."

He _smiled_.

When Sora stepped off the bus, he took a nice look around. The city was amazing, and he could only feel awestruck every time he stepped in to it's whirling life. The scaling buildings jutted all around. The people lost in their own worlds…or maybe not so lost as they led others to think. The sounds of traffic, people gossiping, shouting, laughing. It was incredible.

Sora smiled and felt strangely comfortable. Then he let out a breath, and with a sense of trepidation moved his head to gaze straight up at the building towering in front of him. In large curved letters loomed: _The School of Destiny's Hand _(an interesting name, eh?) with a bronze hand attached below, stretching out above the sidewalk. As he looked on, a butterfly flew from the tip of the hand and fluttered down to where he stood. He slowly lifted his index finger and, amazed, watched as the butterfly landed, the perfect sign of tranquility.

After a few moments it seemed to gaze at him, then flew off into the wind. He watched it go with hopeful eyes. They slowly changed into a look of determination, and he looked back at the building.

He was ready.

So now Sora was waiting his turn in line, and the anticipation was mounting. He had nothing to occupy himself, and he was staring about nervously. The other competition was all stony faced, and he felt a sense of fear beginning to loom. But he thought back on the butterfly, of Riku, and his mother, of Tidus and Kairi and Selphie, and all of his friends at home. He wouldn't let them down.

And then, Roxas came out.

Of course, Sora wasn't sure what it was. But the sight of the blonde haired boy clicked something in his mind. He was reminded of Riku. Perhaps the way he walked, or the casual glances he gave off to the side. When their eyes met, though…Sora couldn't explain it. But he felt…_something_.

And they hit it off.

Roxas was intrigued with Sora.

He found that when he was with Sora, he lost track of time. The boy's views on life were optimistic and reminded Roxas of someone very much, though he couldn't place his finger on it. He soon found himself smiling as much as Sora, as he was told stories of island life, where he and his friends went on wild adventures and beaches were turned green and where paopu juice could be found.

Yes, he knew the legend of the paopu- to share one with someone was to intertwine your destinies—forever. Roxas could be oddly romantic at times.

And even having just met this boy, Roxas felt something. And what it was, he was afraid to look for. But gazing into the boy's eyes, he saw something…

Something…

And then a woman with brown hair stuck her head out into the hallway:

"Sora?"

He was the last one.

_A/N:_ And that's all! I really hope to make this story as long as I can, it's definitely a project for me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the cliffie! Muaha.

Plan on seeing a LOT of Roxas in the future, for there are plans. Oh yes, there are plans.

Well, please, don't keep me from letting you review! It would make me oh-so happy!


	3. Chapter 3

Destiny's Song- Chapter 3

_Auditions, Promises, and Confessions?_

_--_

"Sora?"

Sora felt his head move, as if in slow motion. The woman standing in the doorway gazed kindly at him and beckoned him in. As she disappeared into the room, he noticed that everyone else had gone, and the last of the competition was just then reaching the end of the corridor, leaving him and Roxas alone. Had he _really_ lost that much time with Roxas?

Smiling (though his hands trembled), he looked at Roxas. He was flashed with bright blue eyes, those eyes that reminded him so much of something…something…

_Sora…_

Roxas himself was feeling unusually sad. It wasn't often that you met a random someone and immediately took a liking to them, **and** ended up having a great time while feeling all the while completely comfortable. Sora was unique, a diamond in the ruff. (1) So, now the time of farewells had come, and suddenly, he felt like almost saying, "Come home with me?" But he didn't, and he tried to mentally pull himself together. He had to remember that Sora was also his competition. The School was highly selective, and only the _best_ attended.

He felt some nervousness, and yet actual, true _sadness_ that he might never see this smiling boy again.

But Sora didn't. Sora smiled, and as if reading his thoughts, pulled out a small piece of paper from his backpack. He jotted down a few quick things and then did something else that Roxas could not see, for he had turned the other way to write. A moment later, a folded piece of paper with a simple message on top: "_We'll see each other again_" was placed in his outstretched palm. Sora closed his fingers over it, and then did something that Roxas would remember to his dying day:

He stood up and fell flat on his face.

The moment couldn't have been so completely _not_ funny, but Roxas still found himself laughing harder than he could ever remember, while reaching down to help Sora up. Sora himself pouted and dusted himself off, not hurt in the slightest.

And with that last fall, they both flashed grins of promise, and without another word, parted ways.

--

Sora entered the audition room, and let out a small gasp.

The room was absolutely beautiful. The high arches of the ceiling gave way to a gargantuan glass window, which looked as if it opened right into the city, where a peaceful twilight had come to sit. To accompany the room's large size rested a beautiful ebony piano, longer and sleeker than any Sora had encountered in his seventeen years. His gaze carried over to a wooden table near the tall window, where Ms. Gainsborough sat looking thoughtful. The whole scene whispered serenity and peace, and Sora felt himself becoming a bit calmer. He closed the door behind him and slowly proceeded into the room. He noticed that he could hear his footsteps, even though he was walking lightly on the hardwood floor.

_Good acoustics_, he thought with a smile. As he reached the piano bench, the woman came out of her reverie, and graced Sora with what he deemed at that very moment to be one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen. When she spoke, her voice was light, yet it held wisdom that shone through her eyes.

"Welcome, Sora. I'm very pleased that you are able to join us today. Please make yourself comfortable at the piano, and when you are ready, you may begin." With that, she smiled, and inclined her head to examine his audition sheet.

Sora smiled back, and placed himself gently at the bench. He felt for the lever on the side and proceeded twist the lever to bring the bench upwards. He remembered the girl sitting in front of him; she easily stood a head and a half taller than Sora.

Finally situated and feeling comfortable, Sora closed his eyes. He felt it. This was his moment, to prove what he was worth. He knew that everything, his future career as a musician, banked on this sole audition. But, he let those thoughts go. All that there was now was music. With an inhalation, his eyes closed, and his hands settled on the keys. The woman watching from what seemed a distant shore to Sora's senses smiled inwardly at the boys' preparation. _He's really looking inside himself. _She began to jot down on her sheet of paper.

Then, Sora's eyes opened completely in what looked to be a melancholy expression…of longing even. And then, he started, with a certain _note_ sounding especially in his ears.

Sora's fingers felt perfect as they landed on each of the resonating chords. The sound was beyond magnificent, and Sora felt the true essence of the Romanticism (2) falling from his fingertips, into the piano, and out into the twilight of the room.

The last chord echoed for seconds after the release of the keys, and Sora's eyes were closed. Those brilliant pools of blue slowly opened, and his body relaxed as he came out of the euphoria the piece had brought. He slowly looked over at the beautiful woman, but her face was turned down, still examining his audition sheet. Without looking up, she said,

"Thank you, Sora. You shall receive notice from us in 3-6 weeks."

Sora understood that judges weren't expected to show emotion after a performance, and he figured that this meant it was time to go. So, with a soft thank you, he left the room, closing the door soundlessly in his wake.

Once the door was shut, Arieth knew it was safe to lift her head. Anyone in her immediate vicinity would be able to tell that, in the mellow twilight, Arieth Gainsborough had been moved to tears.

Roxas leaned his head on the window of his hotel room, looking across the city. It had long become dark, yet the city was full of life and lights. In his palm, he held the piece of paper with the spirally handwriting containing the phrase "_We'll meet again" _with an e-mail address written down and a smile.

The ride home for Sora was peaceful. As he rested his head against the window of the bus, he watched as the street lights whizzed by, one by one. It was times like these, where Sora was so peaceful and in tune with himself, that made his thoughts drift above and beyond. He thought of Roxas, with the familiar face and light blue eyes. He thought of his mother, always supportive of his music. He thought of Riku…his best friend. And he thought of his enigmatic judge, with her beautiful smile and wise eyes.

_I wonder what she saw…_

As Riku sat, gazing out of his window, he wondered what Sora was doing at the moment. It was late night, and he knew Sora's audition had been the evening. Riku contemplated calling him, but decided against it. Sora would probably be really tired…Riku could talk to him in the morning…

_Oh Sora…._

_A pair of boys, perhaps 5 or 6, were rolling around on the beach laughing. One had bright shining silver hair, the other spiky brown. At the moment, a wrestling match was underway, and it looked as if the smaller brunette wasn't faring so well. The taller boy successfully pinned him to the ground, and Sora simply pouted up._

_The older boy only grinned cheekily, and said, "Pinned ya." (3) Riku felt very accomplished with himself. Sora only pouted and said, "Riiiikuuu you always pin me!" And then, with resolution and determination in his eyes, "One day, I'll pin you!"_

_Riku laughed and got off of Sora and extended a hand to help him up. "Doubt it."_

_Sora giggled, "You'll see."_

_Riku watched Sora as he swayed a bit on the bench. Riku was in the cushy chair in the 'Piano Room' in Sora's house. He had a sketchpad and was drawing the back of Sora's slim physique, trying to get the spikes in his hair down just right. The music was beautiful and Riku felt completely at ease and peace. It was early autumn and the two were entering high school this year, starting the week following. Sora's hands gracefully moved up and down the keyboard, looking so effortless… _

_Sora, perfect Sora. _

_Riku, being older, had naturally started maturing before Sora. He had always counted Sora as his best friend, ever since they had been children, where their days had been full of sunshine and beaches, swimming and laughter. Lately, however, something in his mind stirred whenever he gazed upon his friend. He had realized long ago, even as children, that he was happy when Sora was happy. And if Sora wasn't happy for some reason, he wanted to do anything in his power to make it better. But that wasn't the extent of it. He was lately wondering what it would be like to hold Sora in his arms, to kiss those wonderfully rosy lips. It was something that he had struggled with at first, but with time, come to accept. Sora was his best friend, and if he felt more than just friendship feelings for him…well, that couldn't be helped. He knew what he wanted, and that was Sora. Sora's attention, Sora's laughter, Sora's affection. All of it._

_Sora, during this brief reflection, had finished his piece and turned around on the piano bench. He was simply gazing at Riku, staring off into space, eyes glazed over, his hand momentarily paused on the sketchpad. Sora tilted his head and half smiled. "Riku? You there?"_

_Riku came to his senses and took in Sora. His bright blue eyes and spiky hair, his small frame and long fingers. 'Piano hands…' he thought as he focused on the boy sitting opposite of him. "Sorry, that piece was so beautiful…I got lost in my thoughts."_

Sora grinned, taking the compliment in stride, "I'm glad you enjoyed it! Maybe I'll keep you around after all, keep talking like that…" Riku grinned to and jumped out of his seat to put Sora in a headlock. This proceeded to more wrestling on the floor, the two of them rolling over the sketchpad Riku had so unceremoniously dropped. Panting, Sora picked it up and looked at it, and smiled. It was a pretty detailed sketch of him from behind. The piano loomed out on either side, and his arms looked as if they were in motion, like the picture itself had absorbed the echoes of his piece, and was attempting to play it back. "This is really good! But one thing…is my hair really that weird looking?" Riku just groaned and tackled Sora again, laughing in a way that was surreal, perfect. The afternoon passed.

_It was early November, sophomore year. Sora was watching as Riku practically galloped along the field, his legs carrying him faster than Sora thought was humanly possible. He had possession of the ball and was making his way straight up the field. A quick movement, and the ball was kicked to an open Tidus, who kept the momentum Riku had started. Between the two of them they made it all the way up to shooting range. As two members of the opposing team zoned in on the ball, Tidus sent it flying back to Riku, who, without hesitation, lined himself up with the goal and gave an incredible kick. The ball went flying into the goal, through the arms of the goalie. The crowd erupted into cheers, Sora amongst them, as he watched Riku, grinning, running back down the field with Tidus, also looking pleased. _

_Next to Sora, Kairi and Selphie had been amongst the loudest of the fans cheering. They were now giggling and talking about the two respective boys on the field._

"_Tidus is soooo cuuuuute!" Selphie squealed, "The other day in English, we were reading Hamlet, y'know, and he had to read Hamlet's soliloquy out loud. It was absolutely adorable!" And then in a voice imitating Tidus' tenor, "To be, or not to be, that is the question…" She proceeded to fall into a fit of giggles. Kairi also laughed, and continued, "That is cute, but would you look at Riku? He is so talented; have you seen his artwork?! The other day in art, I walked by a canvas that he was painting on, and Selph, it was one of the most gorgeous landscapes I've ever seen. It looked professional, I swear. And then he saw me staring at it and asked me if I liked it and I swear I just melted." /sigh _

_Then, turning to Sora, Kairi asked, teasingly, "What do you think Sora? Who's cuter, Tidus or Riku?" Sora just looked at the girls with wide eyes, and they continued to giggle. "Looks like our little maestro is at a loss for words!" said Selphie, a mischievous glint in her eye. Sora just laughed and turned back to the game, not saying anything._

_Truth be told, he had known for a while that he was not into girls. Selphie and Kairi, and it seemed like most of the world, were oblivious to this fact. They were content to just watch him grow, cute little Sora who could play piano better than anyone. No one, it seemed, ever saw him in the ways that Kairi and Selphie saw Tidus, or Riku._

_Riku._

_He and Riku, they were best friends. Sora could only admire him for all his talents: star athlete, outstanding artist, full of wit and charm. It seemed that Riku was all too perfect. Far too perfect for Sora, at least. Selphie and Kairi were only the beginning; Sora had seen how girls got when Riku walked by. The lot of them, becoming giggling, blushing messes. Riku would only smile and pretend to not notice, talking over the giggles to Sora whenever they would be walking together and such a situation would occur. Sora himself had trouble focusing on anything when it sounded like you were surrounded by a bunch of hyenas all the time. How did Riku do it?_

_Sora did wonder aloud once why Riku didn't just date one of the hyena girls. It was towards the end of Sora's junior year, when the two were walking home from school together. When he asked Riku about it one day, Riku seemed a little taken aback at first. If Sora had been looking into Riku's eyes he would have seen a plethora of emotions flash by: panic, fear, longing, hope. As soon as it had come, however, those feelings were masked. With a smile he said, "Because the right one just hasn't shown up yet, Sora." Sora accepted this with a small smile of his own, and a bit of sadness. What had he been expecting? A full out love confession of hidden desires from Riku? Sora and Riku were just too good friends, however, for Sora to let it bother him more. Riku was sensible. Riku knew what he wanted. It just wasn't Sora. _

_Riku, in turn, asked Sora the same question; why didn't he go out with a girl? Sora only grinned and said "No girls like me Riku- they're all into you." Riku only laughed and they left the topic at that._

_As Sora bid him farewell that same day, Riku simply couldn't stop kicking himself. The right one had shown up – HE just didn't know it was actually himself yet! Riku couldn't believe that when the question had popped out of Sora's mouth, so innocent and curious, why he didn't just tell him everything right then and there. He supposed that it was just he couldn't bear the thought of their relationship as it was changing. He didn't want Sora to suddenly be freaked out by all of the emotions that Riku had kept hidden for so long. He groaned and looked into the blue sky. He needed to tell Sora._

And so Riku had tried to tell Sora. Over the course of their senior year(4) there had been several moments where Riku had felt the overwhelming urge to just come out and say it. But every time, he chickened out. Sora would either smile at him, or say something in his Sora way, and Riku could only falter. Riku thought about all of these failures with a sigh, as he gazed out his open bedroom window into the cool summer night. His house was at a high elevation, so he could see out over the island town that he and Sora called home. It was peaceful, and the lights of the town made for a beautiful sight. Beyond them, the ocean opened up into a wide, vast pool, which reflected the stars in the sky. Looking away, Riku's thoughts inescapably turned back to Sora.

With Sora gone into the city for his audition, Riku had realized that he had wasted too much time worrying. Sora wouldn't be around him for much longer- Riku was going out of state to attend a Fine Arts School, where he could focus on his artwork. They had one more summer together before they were off. It was now or never. At that moment Riku knew for sure that the next time they met, everything would be told. He had hope, for he had never seen Sora look at a girl before. Riku knew there were lots who found Sora very cute, but Sora always seemed oblivious- even when they giggled and whispered about him. Maybe when he had told Riku that he thought all the girls were into him, maybe he had been serious? But it didn't matter anymore, Riku just had to know Sora's true feelings. And if they weren't returned…well, that would have to be that.

But Riku still had hope.

Sora had just gotten off the bus, and began to trot home. He only lived a couple of blocks away from the bus stop, so walking wasn't a problem. It was pretty late, but the night air was peaceful. As he walked along the sidewalk, hands in hoodie pockets, he looked up at the sky so full of stars. It was nights like this that he would miss, if he were living in the city.

Sora thought of many similar nights. Being little, and running around, playing kid's games like Hide-an-Seek. He always despised being 'it', because it was much more fun simply hiding away. Of course, if Riku was 'It' then there was no hope, because he knew Sora too well- as well as all of Sora's best hiding spots.

Once in high school, the group had taken to spending time at the beach. By day, when not in school, the group would lounge around and swim, and Sora would try not to blush as he took secretive looks at Riku's toned frame. By night, around a fire lay memories of Selphie and Kairi imitating wild stories with their hands. Tidus and Wakka laughing, making up games for them to play. Riku, often the leader, and always at his side. Riku would laugh along with the rest, would play the games (and win) and always there was that glint of life. The glint of a person happy to be where they are, surrounded by people he could never replace, even if he wanted to. Those were the eyes that always drank in Sora, the aqua always seeming to pool out, and drown Sora with happiness.

As Sora reveled in the nostalgia of those happy days, he turned a corner and continued on the sidewalk, his thoughts now turning to a certain silver haired youth.

1- Gotta love Aladdin 

2- For those who aren't too familiar with musical terms, the Romantic period happened in the 1800's, and was characterized by beautiful melodies & harmonies, a tribute to the Romantic idealism.

3- I'm all about Disney today- Lion King, anyone? :P

4- Riku and Sora ARE actually in the same grade, even though Riku is a year or so older- this is explained in the future.


End file.
